The Annual Skin Show

Getty Images

You don't need tickets to this. It's happening right now on a pavement near you. Ladies are bringing out the big guns this summer in the shape of handkerchief-sized dresses and thin chiffon clinging delightfully to their silhouettes in even the mildest of breeze. It's difficult to ignore your own mounting sex drive for long when surrounded by visual cues. The belt-tuck was invented for balmy days like these (and GCSE maths classes, of course). Return the favour to the lovely ladies by cracking out the wife beater if you feel you've got a bicep to behold.

Gym Bods

Getty Images

Speaking of biceps... have you been buffing your beach bod? "I don't believe in beach bods" says Keith, 32, "I like to keep myself trim throughout the year, otherwise I wouldn't be able to pull off figure hugging knitwear." As Keith's oldest friend I can tell you that he's a bit of a dick and doesn't speak for most people. The majority of gents will be timing their gym-craze for best results during the summer months, whilst embracing flab-coverage during winter. Girls tend to do the same. Increased exercise = increased endorphins + improved circulation (including to the sexy bits) = increased sex drive/pleasure during sex/stamina for sex. It ain't neuroscience. But it kinda is.

Long Days. Short Nights.

Unsplash

Speaking of neuroscience – Neuroscientist Laura Forde explains how pure UV rays get us randy: "Firstly, sunlight produces seratonin, which also regulates arousal. Then there's the sleepy hormone, melatonin. This decreases during summer so our brain is tricked into thinking we're not ready for bed yet. Well, ready to sleep, anyway! Feeling more alert eliminates the 'I'm too tired' excuse from your usual sexual routine. You may not notice it, but you'll find yourself raring to go far more than usual."

Sweaty Betty

Laura continues: "Summer heat will get you perspiring, whether you like it or not. But this isn't all bad – when we sweat we also produce a hell load of pheremones – designed to lure in the opposite sex." So, if you've got perpetual armpit sweat patches in your work shirt, maybe you shouldn't be hiding at your desk and instead wafting them in the direction of the hot intern (don't call HR on us, that was a joke).

Released Tension

All you gym rats out there will know that after a long session your skin is far more sensitive to the touch. Release of muscular tension improves skin sensitivity. This is the reason sex is notoriously better after a long workout. High summer temperatures do the releasing for you, though, so now you won't even have to work up a sweat to get the benefit. All the more reason for an impromptu Sunday romp in the park.

Festivals

Getty Images

If you haven't booked a festival yet: do it now. Festivals hark back to the summer of love, when the morals were as loose as the maxi-dresses. Even if you don't meet some free-loving girl with flowers in her hair and a huge tab of acid in her pocket this year, you can still find a Taylor Swift fan by the burger shack who wants to shake you off. Shake you off. Yeah, yeah. Shake you off. Shake you off... (too much?!) In all seriousness, though: festivals were created for the carefree so, if you're single and wanna mingle – do it at a festival.

Crop Tops

This summer the crop top is back! The '90s throwback is littering the streets. "What does this even mean?" you ask yourselves. It means that all the ladies are channelling Kelly from Saved By the Bell. And not only does seeing a lady's taught tummy get even the most libido-less guy going, but for any of you dudes with those Saved By the Bell re-runs firmly planted in your wank-bank: this is your summer of sex. And before you start to panic, it's not just the teenagers doing it, it's the grown ups too, so you don't have to feel like a pervert. Win win all around.

Playsuits

boohoo.com

See above. This summer is a special sexy fashion forward one. It's like all female clothes designers, globally, were rooting for you. Playsuits especially show off all those feminine curves that you've been wired by evolution to charge towards like a raging bull to a red flag.

*For those who don't know, a playsuit is an outfit women are loving this season where the top half is joined to shorts at the bottom half.

Cheap Dates

Unsplash

Speaking of first dates – which could very well lead to summersex if you plan correctly – they won't break the bank when the sun is out! For those of you who pride yourselves on impressive dates, winter months can set you back. During the summer, much more goes. Top tip: Cheap fizz and Tescos strawberries, sitting on a binbag in Hampstead Heath. (She'll love the bin bag touch because it's edgy and makes the story funny to tell her mates... "It was hilarious! We were sitting on a bin bag!! So romantic" she'll say.)

Sociability

The combination of Vitamin D from being outside in the sun, longer days and more socialisation actually leads to your increase in summer hookup count. You know when it's dark and cold and you'd rather stay in and watch a movie eating crisps on your couch? When was the last hot day you felt that was an adequate excuse for doing nothing?